All That Matters
by Nanners0474
Summary: War is being fought by three friends. In the midst of battle two discover their love for each other and the strength to sacrifice everything for the third. Please R


DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Harry Potter characters...I'm just borrowing them for a while (grin).

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi all. I just want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed my other fics (Mrs. Granger, Fairy Lights, and Hanging Puckles). Seeing your very positive reviews gives me warm and fuzzy feelings, which encourages me to write more. THANK YOU! This fic is a little on the deep side. It's heavy on the angst but hopefully you will find it touching and moving. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks again, Nanners.

ANOTHER AUTHOR'S NOTE (lol): This fic was put up once before but for some reason I had it under poetry for the genre, which it is not. So, here goes...take two for "All That Matters"

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ALL THAT MATTERS

Was it a dream or was she really there beside him holding his hand? Was she really staring up at him with warm brown eyes? Could he ever love her more than he did at that moment? Would they ever have another moment such as this?

Probably not...

Did it matter?

No, he thought, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, nothing else was of any importance. This moment is all that matters.

As if reading his thoughts she smiled a sad, melancholy smile. Turning her hand over she twined her fingers with his. He wanted to speak for there was so much to say but couldn't find the words. What he didn't know was that his heart shown in his eyes. She knew what he couldn't say. She could see it.

A loud crashing sound thundered through the air. Neither of them turned to see where it came from. They already knew. It didn't matter anyway. This brief moment was theirs.

The world was raging around them. War was being fought. Friends were dying. Knowing that they might be next he leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. A sweet, tender first kiss, a kiss that might be their last.

Her eyes began to well with tears, which she stubbornly dashed away. He smiled for it was typical of her to be impatient with tears even in such a moment.

Another crash sounded around them, dangerously close this time. Though she jumped neither turned. They stared into each other eyes.

"I have always loved you," he said, voice raw with emotion.

She brought his hand twined with hers to her face. He felt her warm tears as she caressed his hand with her cheek.

"You have my heart...It belongs to you," her voiced hitched but she her eyes never wavered from his.

He nodded, his heart swelling and breaking all at the same time. He looked out over the grounds that once had been so safe and peaceful. Now blood soaked the earth while good battled evil over the corpses. Behind him stood a castle, still proud and noble despite the scars. Now it too was a battleground. Within the walls his greatest friend fought his greatest adversary. It was his duty to hold back the advancing enemy so his friend would have time to fight his battle.

He turned back and there she was, still standing by his side like a miracle. In his heart she was all that mattered.

He had wished her away. He had yelled, threatened, belittled, and said unforgivable things to keep her away...but there she was holding his hand, telling him she loved him. His heart hurt from the sadness and happiness of it all. He didn't want her there, damn it! He swung around to face her, ready to do or say whatever to took to make her leave. He would do anything, say anything, sacrifice anything to keep her safe.

But she knew him and silenced him before he could speak. "I'm not leaving. This is my fight as well as yours. If you are here then so am I." Her words were strong and her eyes were fierce. She would stay. She would stand till the last.

She cupped his face in her hands; "It's up to Harry now. We have to hold them back. You and me...He's my friend, too. He's all that matters now."

No, he thought as his eyes searched hers. You are all that matters...You are my everything. He wanted to tell her, wanted to say the words aloud but a loud rumble curled up around them. She cringed but held fast to his hand.

Evil was advancing.

"For Harry," she squeezed his hand in hers, her warm brown eyes locked on his.

He brought her hand to his lips. She was his great love. She was here. It was all that mattered.

"For Harry," he whispered. "And for us."

Then they turned as one and raced hand in hand over the grounds of Hogwarts towards the darkness of evil. There were flashes of angry light. Dark gray smoke coiled like a snake about to strike. Power and magic roared like thunder, madness and glory all at once.

Then nothing...

In the highest tower of Hogwarts castle a boy becomes a man. His enemy lay defeated at his feet, no more than a pile of ash. Sparks of power ripple from his fingertips. His green eyes are abnormally bright behind cracked glasses. He turns and coldly walks from the tower, scattering the ashes of his enemy as he sweeps past. Swiftly he descends the tower stairs, then rushes through the corridors until he reaches the main hall. There, before the great doors, he pauses. His heart pounds for he knows what is on the other side. Braver than he'll ever fully realize, he pushes the heavy doors open and he steals himself for the sight.

He walks among the dead that lay scattered and broken on the ground. He sees the faces of friends and foes and his heart feels nothing. He keeps his guard firmly in place for to let it down now would be his undoing.

He steps over a teammate, walks around a professor, kicks aside a broken wand, the cold shield of his heart never wavering.

Then...

Then he comes across a sight that shatters the ice. He trembles. Tears burn his luminous green eyes. His knees grow weak and he sinks to the ground. There he finally breaks. There he weeps openly beside the bodies of his most cherished friends.

In death Ron and Hermione still hold hands. Their fingers entwined for eternity; the everlasting touch of love and friendship. To him their death is the death of his family. The loss of them is greater than the loss of any battle. To him there have never been two more faithful, loyal, and loving friends. Because of them evil had _not_ advanced. They had held.

As tears stream down his face and cloud his vision he places his cold and trembling hand over their entwined fingers. In like link he feels the power that is friendship and all that it stands for.

To Harry it is all that will ever matter.

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I hope you enjoyed my fic. Please read and review! 

P.S. I've also added a few fics since this one came out. Here is a full list. Check then out! Nanners

1. She

2. One Last Normal Day

3. Burn

4. Hanging Puckles

5. Fairy Lights

6. Mrs. Granger


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